Politics · Philippines Bureau
Senators' abstentions won't predict Duterte verdict, prosecutors say
Lead prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial said Thursday that six senators' decision to abstain from a threshold vote does not indicate how they will ultimately rule on charges against her.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Prosecutors leading the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte sought to downplay the significance of six senator-judges abstaining from voting on the conviction threshold, insisting their position on procedural matters bears no relation to their final judgment.
During a Thursday press conference, lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro clarified that a senator's abstention on technical votes does not foreshadow their stance on the substantive question of the Vice President's guilt or innocence.
The abstentions came as the Senate weighed whether to proceed on charges brought by the House impeachment panel. Luistro emphasized that senators retained full discretion in how they would approach both procedural matters and the merits of the case.
The prosecution's statement suggests the impeachment trial continues despite mixed signals from lawmakers on the threshold question. The case against Duterte has drawn intense public attention and touched on sensitive issues of political accountability in the Philippines.